Averheim was under siege by the undead. The living dead reinforced by the fallen of past battles were led by unwilling necromancers pressed into service by Konrad Von Carstein, with unending reserves they assailed the walls from all directions.
From the ground, masses of rotting flesh and bone on crude siege machines clambered onto the walls with grim defenders to meet them with steel and shot.
Meanwhile from the sky it was filled. Filled by a tide of dark, winged figures from unnaturally large bats to devolved creatures claiming kin to their infamous counterparts hungry for the blood and flesh of the defenders. Instead of the majority facing the walls, they would find fresher and helpless prey among the populace with the defenders already busy at the walls.
The morale of the desperate defenders was already at an all-time low. It was decided by the Emperor to meet the living dead on the field was folly with Konrad's accursed knightly kin the Blood Knights.
Despite being an imbecile with no regard for strategy deeming it fit for cowards and lack of ability in the dark arts meant he relied on necromancers to raise the dead for him, the raw power of the armored hosts of the Blood Keep led by Walach Harkon in search of a challenge allowed even Konrad renowned for his bouts of madness and brutish behavior to win against any Imperial army no matter the grievous tactical errors when the losses of his battles can simply be replaced by more fodder from their fallen.
And so it was decided with the elector counts they would hold up in Averheim with their own elite guards, best of the Empire's knights and the army of Averland, trusting in letting the dead smash themselves against the walls and gates where Konrad's Blood Knights for all their vaunted strength did not have the strength to break through them while during the battle, fresh troops from Stirland would take them from behind in surprise which will be when the garrison would open the gates and take them on from both sides.
It ended in disaster.
The armies of the dead came replete with great siege engines built of fused human remains that lumbered forward, animated by dark magic while Konrad made a great show of magnanimity by following the example of his sire Vlad Von Carstein with an ultimatum - open the gates and serve him in life, or fight on and serve him in death.
Together with the emperor the elector counts deigned to respond with insults especially towards Konrad's lack of magic to be equivalent to impotence. Konrad's response to that was rather peculiar calling the Emperor an ungrateful patron only for the Emperor to wave it away by calling Konrad a deranged madman prone to unpredictable insanity which was undeniable which none with the Emperor suspected anything odd.
The battle commenced as expected, the defenses set up to impede a siege was but a brief delay for Konrad's disposable dead to absorb the losses or fill up the ditches and moats as the siege engines continued their advance before they unloaded it's skeletal occupants to meet the defenders at the wall.
It was a battle of endurance and the defenders knew it. While Averland with it's fertile regions means supplies aren't an issue, Konrad had all the time to lay Averheim to siege with the Empire unable to fully rally as one when each province was still recovering from the losses his sire did to them that the attackers sent were just chaff raised from Imperial dead to sunder hearts and exhaust the defender's vigour which lasted for five days.
Little by little the garrison of Averheim dwindled with reserves of unliving chaff sent to the walls in unending numbers while mysteriously the greater of Konrad's undead forces were held back as the citizens of Averheim wearily lived under siege. The priests of Sigmar preached encouragement to stand firm to the beleaguered citizenry as witch hunters put to the stake doomsayers and madmen preaching of salvation coming not from the Empire but from an Empire from the stars and that the undead will be vanquished by servants of the true Emperor and his Hammer lead by Lions.
On the fifth day at dawn and to the East came the sound of Imperial horns. The army of Stirland had arrived. The plan devised by the Emperor was about to come to fruition. In response Konrad directed his main force to Stirland's as the gate of Averheim was ready to be opened for the knights led by their respective Elector Counts to charge the divided Sylvanian army at the launching of a colored smoke bomb from their Stirlander counterparts.
At it's launch both armies charged. From Averheim the cavalry easily cut through the dead without effort toward Konrad who massed his Blood Knights against the Stirlanders and by then it was then it was all too late when a mass of combined dark magic in Konrad's camp led to a draconic roar and a scream of delight from its rider who went directly to the Stirlanders.
As a gift towards their macabre alliance, Konrad tasked his necromancers under threat by his bullying to raise the bones of a dragon when one of their number in fear of his life after one failure gave up it's location.
This pleased Konrad most immensely for it served to keep Walach's Blood Knights to keep fighting for him when their leader would be most pleased to have such a mount and what a fine mount it would be for the leader of his own symbol of a dragon!
In one of Konrad's finer ideas was to suggest Walach to test it on the Stirlander reinforcements while his own knights can deal with Averheim's cavalry.
Riding on a zombie dragon, Walach Harkon the leader of the vampire knights of the Blood Keep flew forth into battle plunging deep in the lines of the army of Stirland all to himself as he personally lanced their leader in tandem with his undead dragon.
Said skeletal mount belched forth clouds of pestilent gas that stripped bone from Stirlander flesh and corroded armor just as it ripped through armored knights in half with claws and devoured their mounts with teeth in one motion.
His Blood Knights quickly reoriented toward the coming cavalry from Averheim and layed low many in the sudden counterattack. To buy time for the retreat both Grandmasters of the Knights Panther and the White Wolves gave their lives for the Emperor and the Elector Counts to retreat back to the gates as the knightly charges were scattered by the unholy vampiric strength of the Blood Knights who savored the charge in both blood and testing their lances against the most celebrated of the Empire's knight orders.
The Emperor himself in the confusion had his horse trip and fall but his remaining knights got him back up and made up a tale of one swift vampiric knight catching the Emperor in a duel that saw the bloodsucker vanquished with Ghal Maraz but his own mount was speared in the duel.
As the gate closed with wounded and exhausted survivors in tow, morale teetered on the brink even the sermons of the Sigmarites failed to rouse the populace as Konrad finally directed his full force at the city as each Elector Count's Great Swords were finally deployed to aid the beleaguered Averlander Swordsmen at the walls.
What was once nothing but chaff was replaced by terrifying wights and spectral spirits while the sky that was once dawn during the battle changed to night and winged monsters flew beyond the walls to terrorise the terrified populace.
The night is dark and full of terrors.
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The Imperial Guard was on the march. Since it's inception, their founders made new changes with the support of Wolfenburg with access to their existing armory. What was once a regiment cobbled together from survivors was now a fully fledged army of disciplined and orderly soldiers.
Accompanying them was a detachment of knights led by Sir Kaslain eager to join in the fight against the Von Carsteins besides Kormac the lector and Charles Purfyre the witch hunter who chose to accompany the Lions to monitor the Lions on their mission.
Such was their discipline, the Guard conducted frequent loaded marches with ease and record time on the Empire's roads. Issues of supplies were dealt with by foraging or by the word and authorisation of Kormac or Charles.
Any entanglements on the way to Averheim were dealt swiftly with disciplined faith, steel and gunpowder. Of them worth mentioning was a straggling undead warband in Averland collecting more dead by a necromancer put under Charles' iron poker and Dargo's gaze that the Guard redoubled their haste to Averheim when the necromancer let slip the city's current plight.
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Situated near Averheim at the cover of night was a camp and within it was soldiers ready to march at the order of their leaders who were just waiting for the Lion that was their best scout and tracker.
He appeared out of thin air with his special cloak that seemed to blend him in to the surroundings that despite questions whether it was magic, his only reply was that it was a special cloak made from special materials. Except for his fellow Lions it never ceased to cause consternation with the rest of the volunteers accompanying the Guard who sometimes mutter witchcraft and sorcery despite the answer.
"Brother, they have a rather macabre looking dragon tearing apart the relief force while their knights are tearing up the city's horsemen. Averheim is ready to fall."
Gasps were had but it was the witch hunter that responded first, "By the Hammer! I would bet my silver stake it's an undead dragon lead by that bloodsucker Walach Harkon!"
Turning towards Kabor he said, "You remember what I said about Walach? Bastard damned an entire knight order of the Empire to the blood kiss and since then even after we purged that fortress they just kept coming back to cause trouble." Nodding towards Dargo he said, "If your spell caster has anything to deal with the dragon it would cut our problems much shorter. Why I'd even welcome that wastrel getting smited by lightning from you!"
The men present laughed at such a joke before Dargo gave his reply, "Purfyre you should be pleased to know from the scraps of knowledge your order presented to me especially about the Liber Mortis, the dragon and their army of the dead will be dealt with shortly. I will handle the dragon and at our signal the knights will deal with their necromancers that will destablise their army for the Guard to relieve the siege."
The signal was ingenious. A special bomb of fine gunpowder, engraved with Khazalid of grudges towards the Uzkular and Zangunaz specifically ordered by the witch hunters for a special occasion from the followers of Mogrim at a discount upon knowing who it's intended recipient it was for that the Dwarven King of Zhufbar with his throng lost their lives against.
Arawn was many things as a veteran scout. Besides a good bow arm exceeding the finest bowmen of the land, the strength shaped by unknown biological expertise meant his throwing arm was just as sufficient for the purpose he must carry out. Throwing the bomb at the necromancers far away at a record distance. A fine challenge indeed.......
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With camo cloak on hand that was one of the only pieces of wargear taken to the Empire barring Brother Dargo's Force Staff, Arawn sneaked as close to the Von Carstein camp while the dragon rider was busy chasing the relief force and the enemy cavalry was dealing with the riders from the city.
Coated with cameleoline, the cloak allowed Arawn combined with his skills as a veteran scout to blend into the surroundings to make him nearly invisible. Climbing atop a tree he spotted what was dark robed figures concentrated around a circle casting their spells that he saw his target and prepped that abhuman made bomb.
With one whisper of a prayer to the Emperor for the strike to aim true even if the wargear is of inferior make from an abhuman, Arawn lit the fuse and threw it in the middle of the circle before shuffling away to await the explosions and screams that would follow.
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Dargo was ready on an altar to concentrate for the battle ahead. Already he could see with the spell casters disturbed, the dead were beginning to falter and fall apart without their sorcerous energies to sustain them as knights led by Sir Kaslain took Konrad's forces by surprise not expecting more reinforcements while the Guard led by his senior brother Kabor Brighthand maneuvered against the Blood Knights.
The undead dragon veered back from routing more of the Stirlanders to concentrate on the new threat but before it can, Dargo with force staff on hand concentrated and seeing the dragon for what it was as even more flawed work compared to a servitor aimed his staff and spoke the words of smite. "Feel the power of the Emperor!"
At a single moment, tales of his exploit would see Dargo become Dargo the Dragonslayer.
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Walach Harkon had the time of his life getting to finally enjoy the dark alliance forged between him and the lesser Von Carstein. He was mad as a hatter but even he knew a man like Walach deserved a dragon and he got it as he lovelingly named it Aurora his first love for which he was greatful as his lance held multiple hanging corpses from spearing so many Stirlanders in the retreat only to immediately feel the change in Dhar on the air and a loud explosion with cries of alarm.
The necromancers Konrad had were attacked by an unknown enemy as Walach saw unknown standards with them as they attacked his own knights and the camp. Despite the set back it was another martial challenge for him as he flew to engage the new adversaries only to find lightning spewing forth from the reinforcements to hit his dragon that it went wrong. He could no longer move his dragon.
"Move Aurora! Move!" as Walach pushed and slapped his mount only to receive no reply with a sudden realisation what happened. This new threat had a skilled spellcaster that removed the bindings of the dragon! He could only hold on to his mount as it stopped flying and instead took a deep dive onto the Earth as it crashed into the ground.
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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVrcMRq7saA&t=112s
"For Sigmar, the Empire and the Lion's Emperor! Charge!" Kruber shouted as his own Imperial Guard charged in unison at the order to meet the Blood Knights. It would've been considered suicidal to do so but as the Lion commanded so shall they follow.
Their leader was at the vanguard. Kabor was now with his measurements taken wearing in the style of the Empire, dwarf forged full plate armour with an even more massive greatsword steadfastly provided from the armory of Wolfenburg for this occasion. The Lions as they were physically would not be able to have a mount capable of holding them, not even the fable horse of Bretonnia could do it either.
So Kabor would set out on foot like an Empire Greatsword as he cut through masses of living dead with ease while the Guard followed behind to finish off stragglers. It was when they met the Blood Knights things went differently. Upon view of each other Kabor Brighthand challenged them to single combat on foot or horse and their leader accepted who choose a horse.
One Blood Knight came forth with a bardiche and lunged with tremendous force as Kabor crossed blades with his own oversized greatsword. Speaking through helmets introductions were made as warriors understood it.
"Who are you?" as he pressed harder with his bardiche on this strange champion of the Empire who was appeared much more broader than he realised up close while relishing the challenge.
"Kabor Brighthand, Veteran Sergeant of the Celestial Lions, 1st company. I lead this army the Imperial Guard," was the reply as more blows were traded for the onlookers to view before he punched the vampire's mount whose skull shattered from the blow and the vampiric knight fell from the surprise as he raised his sword.
"I will be your final death mutant." before the confused Blood Knight could reply his head was removed with an expert swing as the surprised Blood Knights saw one of their best fallen in a few blows as Kabor Brighthand turned with a malicious gaze toward them that reminded them of their first meeting with Walach as a mortal who challenged them to single combat.
"Who's next?" as Blood Knight after Blood Knight jumped at the challenge only to be cut down one after another. Once again the Order of the Blood Dragon from their mortal lives to their undead lives repeated that same challenge that ended them in poetic irony. Old habits certainly die hard taking up challenges from strangers more martially inclined than they!
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Walach was not happy as after recuperating from the fall by finding a rider to drain and steal his horse, he rid back in the chaos to find his Blood Dragons were on the brink of defeat. First his mount was gone and now his knights were about to be routed in a duel no less!
"Hold it!" his stern voice disturbed the duel that would have ended another of his Blood Knights as Caleb meekly crawled away from the armored giant of a man who shifted his gaze toward him like an apex predator meeting an equal.
"I am Walach Harkon, Grandmaster of the Blood Dragons. To whom am I referring to that is causing Konrad and my knights so much trouble per chance?" he asked while sizing him up. He had not seen such a warrior before and his vampiric heritage all but demanded him to duel and find out what his blood tasted of as he licked his lips in anticipation.
"Kabor Brighthand, Veteran Sergeant of the Celestial Lions, 1st company." with one foot he brought it down on Caleb's back who screamed with blood curdling cries as the pitiless giant remained heedless of this mutant's pain as he then punted him with great force onto the Blood Knights, some of which caught Caleb mid air by being in his way they with their mounts collapsed onto the ground.
"I have seen your mettle, mutant and I find you abhorrent." Kabor lifted his sword and pointed it at Walach, "Your perverted values as you kill as you please without purpose except only towards perfecting your martial abilities sicken me." He readied himself in a stance in preparation for the fight, "Come show me what passes for fury among your misbegotten kind!"
Walach was both insulted at being compared to a mutant and yet highly impressed by this stranger's challenge as he dismounted and drew his crimson blade. This will be one of his greatest battles yet to come!
The spectacle of sword play was a sight behold to both living and the unliving. It was on that day the knights of the Empire alive to witness it swore their service to the Lions after Solland was granted to them as this nascent order was named after those they sought to emulate the Scarlet Lions.
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"Are you sure Brother Dargo?" Kabor Brighthand asked his battlebrother most skilled in the arts of the warp who nodded in reply behind closed doors long after the celebrations and surprise reward by this so-called Emperor was given.
"Yes Brother Kabor, with my own abilities I can sense the Emperor Helmut is already dead. What he is now is nothing more than a complex servitor animated by fell energies but as our associates in the Empire don't know I felt it best to leave the matter be while we take advantage of it in the future when he rewarded us so."
Leaning against a wall Arawn could only snort at the Empire's failure to notice the difference before speaking his piece, "I agree Brother. It's one card to hold close to us when it was that puppet who gave us a province to control even if it's not a good one. It won't be a problem for us space marines to change in a few years."
Kabor nodded to both his brothers before making his decision, "Then we are in agreement battle brothers. With the authorisation of this False Emperor, we will have control of a piece of this Empire to continue the compliance as our Chapter Master has ordered. By the time we are settled in to deal with the False Emperor and the Von Carsteins his illegitmate order will be too late to dislodge us for our services rendered to the Empire!"
Here you go another attempt at an omake. I don't feel like making more.
I really don't know how to write the battle between Walach and Kabor so I just left it alone. Didn't know what to do with Konrad so I didn't give him much to do though I imagine him going to Walach's rescue to salvage what was left of the battle before it was time to flee.
